Candle holder

Abstract

An improved candle holder in which the lens is trapped within elastic elongated bars that space the lens from the rigid metallic cover and frictionally hold the lens in an extended and retracted position. Viewing windows are provided for seeing the height of the unburned candle. A brandy glass attachment is provided for the top of the holder.

We claim: 
     
       1. A portable candle holder comprising: an outer rigid cover having upper and lower ends, said upper end having at least three circumferentially spaced alignment notches;   an inner candle receiver coupled to said cover;   means for pushing a candle upwardly in said candle receiver;   a glass lens having upper and lower portions including upper and lower ends;   a heat shield overlying and engaging the upper end of said lens for dissipating the heat from a candle flame;   means for securing a bail to said holder; and   coupling means for positioning said lens telescopically between retracted and extended positions within and extending out of said cover, respectively, said coupling means including at least three circumferentially spaced, metallic, flexible, elastic bars, each of said bars having an upper end and a lower end, said upper bar ends pressing directly down on said lens upper end, said lower bar ends pressing directly upon said lens lower end, said bars spaced from said lens at all other locations, said bars extending radially outward against, being frictionally engaged within and telescopically guided by said cover notches to prevent circumferential rotation of the bars and the lens with respect to the cover and for holding said lens at least in said axially extended and retracted positions above and within said cover, respectively, said cover spaced from said bars at all other locations when in the extended position, limiting structural heat-conductive paths to transfer heat from the lens to the cover through the bars.   
     
     
       2. The holder of claim 1, said candle receiver having a candle viewing slot, said cover having a candle viewing window, said candle receiver having a bottom cap for covering the lower end of the cover, and fastening means for releasably holding the bottom cap to said cover and for positioning the viewing window in alignment with said candle viewing slot. 
     
     
       3. The candle holder of claim 1, said means for securing a bail to said holder including a ring fastened to said bars, said ring being radially spaced from said lens to provide an air cooling slot around said glass lens upper portion. 
     
     
       4. The holder of claim 1, including an adaptor ring coupled to said holder and extending axially upward therefrom and having an upper rim provided with diametrically aligned notches adapted to hold the stem and fluid receptacle of a stemmed glass in position above said heat shield. 
     
     
       5. The candle holder of claim 1, each said bar having an upper and lower radially depressed detent, said lower detent engaging the upper end of said cover to hold said lens in its extended position, said upper detent engaging said cover for holding said lens in said retracted position, said bars having an elongated central elastic portion spaced from said lens and engaging said cover for resiliently spacing the lens from the cover to protect the lens against impacts. 
     
     
       6. The holder of claim 5, said means for securing a bail to said holder including a ring fastened to said bars, said ring being radially spaced from said lens to provide an air cooling slot around said glass lens upper portion, and said lens being radially spaced from the cover and from said candle receiver for providing air combustion and air cooling passages surrounding said lens. 
     
     
       7. A portable candle holder comprising: an outer rigid cover having upper and lower ends, said upper end having a plurality of equidistantly and circumferentially spaced alignment notches;   an inner candle receiver coupled to said cover;   means for pushing a candle upwardly in said candle receiver;   a glass lens having upper and lower ends;   a heat shield overlying the upper end of said lens for dissipating the heat from a candle flame;   means for securing a bail to said holder; and   a coupling frame positioning said lens telescopically within said cover, said coupling frame including a plurality of equidistantly and circumferentially spaced, metallic, flexible, elastic bars extending radially outward into engagement with said cover to resiliently cushion and support the lens in the cover, each of said bars having an upper end and a lower end, said upper bar ends pressing directly down on said lens upper end, said lower bar ends pressing directly upon said lens lower end, said bars spaced from said lens at all other locations, and said bars being frictionally engaged within said cover notches for preventing circumferential rotation of the bars and the lens with respect to the cover, said cover spaced from said bars at all other locations when in the extended position, limiting structural heat-conductive paths to transfer heat from the lens to the cover through the bars, said upper and lower bar ends being the sole support for the lens, suspending the lens in said retracted and extended positions, and said cover engaging said bars in the retracted position to resiliently cushion the lens within said cover against impacts.   
     
     
       8. A portable lantern comprising: an outer rigid cover having upper and lower ends, and a bail for suspending the lantern;   an inner flame light-source receiver adapted to carry a flame light-source;   a glass lens having upper and lower portions including upper and lower ends;   a heat shield overlying the upper end of said lens for dissipating heat from a flame light-source within the receiver, and means supporting the heat shield over said lens;   at least three circumferentially and equidistantly spaced, flexible, elastic bars for suspending the lens in the cover, each of said bars having an upper end and a lower end, said upper bar ends pressing directly down on said lens upper end, said lower bar ends pressing directly upon said lens lower end, said bars spaced from said lens at all other locations, said bars extending radially outwardly against said cover for resiliently cushioning said lens against impacts, and said bars being telescopically received in said cover and frictionally engaged by said cover for positioning the lens between extended and retracted positions axially beyond and within said cover, respectively; and   said cover having guide means for guiding the bars along straight axial paths as they are telescoped outwardly to maintain relative rotational positioning between the bars and the cover, said guide means being notches which frictionally receive the bars, said cover spaced from said bars at all other locations when in the extended position, limiting structural heat-conductive paths to transfer heat from the lens to the cover through the bars, said upper and lower bar ends being the sole support for the lens, supporting the lens in said retracted and extended positions, and said cover engaging said bars in the retracted position to resiliently cushion the lens within said cover against impacts.   
     
     
       9. The lantern of claim 8, said flame light-source being a candle, and means within said receiver for biasing said candle axially outward toward the upper end of said receiver. 
     
     
       10. The lantern of claim 8 wherein said means supporting the heat shield includes a locking ring joined to said bars, said bail being connected to said locking ring, said locking ring being held spaced from said lens by said bars. 
     
     
       11. The lantern of claim 10, said locking ring having apertures for receiving said bars, said bars having bends protruding into said locking ring apertures for supporting said locking ring on said bars.